Chris Dawson (rugby league)

Christopher Michael Dawson[3] (born 26 July 1948) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s.[4]

Chris Dawson
Personal information
Full nameChristopher Michael Dawson
Born (1948-07-26) 26 July 1948
Sydney, Australia
Playing information
PositionSecond-row, Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1972–77 Newtown Jets 53 11 0 0 33
Spouse(s)
Children3
Notes

Following the 1982 disappearance of his wife, Lynette, and two separate coronial inquests, the NSW Coroner determined that Lynette Dawson was dead and that her most likely murderer was her husband, Chris.[5][6] After many years of stalled and failed investigations,[7] in December 2018 Chris Dawson was arrested and charged with murder.[8] As of February 2020, Dawson is released on bail but pending trial.

Early life

Dawson was born in Sydney, New South Wales. He is the second born of twins; his twin brother is Paul Dawson. Chris Dawson attended Sydney Boys High School where he was a prefect. He graduated in 1966.

Chris Dawson met Lynette Simms at a high school function in 1965, when they were both aged sixteen. They married in 1970 at St Jude's Church, Randwick,[2] and later had two children.[9]

Football career

Both Chris and Paul played rugby union for Eastern Suburbs.[10]

The Dawson brothers switched codes to play rugby league for the Newtown Jets in 1972.[11][10] Chris Dawson played in the second row[10] along with Paul for the Newtown Jets club for five seasons. The Dawson brothers were part of the 1973 New South Wales Rugby League Club Championship winning team.[12][13]

Subsequent career

After their rugby careers finished, both Chris and Paul Dawson became physical education teachers at public high schools on the north shore and northern beaches of Sydney.[9] Dawson was teaching at Cromer High School in 1981 when he commenced a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old pupil, Joanne Curtis, while he was married to Lynette Dawson.[14]

The Dawson brothers and families moved to Queensland in 1985. Chris Dawson worked at Keebra Park State High School first then later moved to Coombabah State High School to work with his brother Paul.[10]

In 2003 Dawson was working at St Ursula's College in Yeppoon, Queensland.[14]

Wife's disappearance
See also: Disappearance of Lynette Dawson

Lynette Dawson went missing in January 1982. Three days after Lynette's disappearance, Chris invited Curtis to moved into the family house. Chris reported his wife missing on 18 February 1982, six weeks after her disappearance,[2] claiming she had left after marital problems and joined a commune.[14] Chris finalised divorce proceedings against the missing Lynette in 1983.

Chris Dawson married Curtis in 1984.[2] The couple divorced in 1993.[5][10]

Lynette Dawson's body has never been found but two coronial inquests were conducted in 2001 and 2003 with both ruling that Lynette Dawson must be dead and was most likely murdered by a known person.[5][6][15]

On 5 December 2018 Dawson was arrested by detectives from Queensland Police for the murder of Lynette Dawson.[8] He was extradited to New South Wales on 6 December 2018 to face trial. In his appearance at Sydney's Central Local Court that day, he was refused bail and was remanded in custody.[16] On 17 December 2018 Dawson was granted bail and his family paid A$1.5 million bail to be released.[17] Appearing in the NSW Local Court in June 2019, Dawson pleaded not guilty to the murder of Lynette Dawson.[18] In February 2020, Dawson was committed to stand trial for the murder of Lynette.[19][20] His arraignment is set for April, with a potential trial date later in 2020.[21]

Chris Dawson was the main subject of an investigative podcast series, The Teacher's Pet, by journalist Hedley Thomas. Thomas investigated allegations into the disappearance of Lynette Dawson and brought Chris Dawson into renewed public and media focus through the podcast's broadcast in 2018.[16][11] As of December 2018, the Gold Walkley-award winning podcast was downloaded 28 million times.[22] The series was temporarily removed from download in Australia in April 2019, "to help ensure that Chris Dawson gets a fair trial".[23]

References
  1. Shawn Dollin; Andrew Ferguson; Bill Bates (2018). "Chris Dawson Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  2. Chung, Laura (5 December 2018). "Timeline of the disappearance of Lynette Dawson". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2019. (subscription required)
  3. "'If they find her it will vindicate everything we've been through': Lyn Dawson's family break their silence as heartbreaking search for the truth leads police back to the house she shared with husband Chris". MSN. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  4. "Chris Dawson Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  5. Rohan Smith (24 May 2018). "Former Sydney school vice-captain blows lid on sex between teachers, students". Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  6. Thomas, Hedley (17 August 2018). "The Teacher's Pet: Coroner certain jury would find Chris Dawson guilty". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  7. "Lynette Joy DAWSON". Australian Missing Persons Register. n.d. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  8. "Teacher's Pet's Chris Dawson arrested on Gold Coast, murder charge expected". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  9. Clare Stephens (11 July 2018). "The Teacher's Pet: The faces behind the gripping true crime story". Mamamia. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  10. "From 1965 to now". 12 September 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  11. Hedley Thomas. "Teacher's Pet: Dawson twins had 'birthday sex' with schoolgirl". The Australian. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  12. "Faces of history Newtown Rugby League Football Club – Founded 1908". Newtown Jets. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  13. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995. (ISBN 1875169571)
  14. "The charming devil and his missing wife". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 March 2003. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  15. McGowan, Michael (5 December 2018). "Chris Dawson arrested and expected to be charged with murder of Lyn Dawson". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  16. "Former league star at the heart of The Teacher's Pet podcast lands in Sydney". news.com.au. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  17. Cornwall, Deborah. "Chris Dawson". The Australian. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  18. "Chris Dawson pleads not guilty to murder of wife Lynette". Guardian Australia. Australian Associated Press. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  19. "Chris Dawson to stand trial for wife's alleged murder". Sterling Law. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  20. "Chris Dawson committed to stand trial". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 February 2020.
  21. McKinnell, Jamie (13 February 2020). "Chris Dawson committed to stand trial for alleged murder of wife Lynette Dawson". News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  22. Cockburn, Paige; Sas, Nick (6 December 2018). "The power of the podcast – in Lynette Dawson's case was it a help or hindrance?". ABC News. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  23. Butler, Gavin; Morgans, Julian (8 April 2019). "'The Teacher's Pet' Podcast has Been Taken Down in Australia". Vice. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
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